Dali Theatre-Museum: Figueres, Spain

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The Dali Theatre Museu in Figueres, Spain.  Figueres was Dali’s birth city.

The theatre houses his works from 1904-1989. It was built in 1974.

The museum was created by Dali himself. The entire museum was conceived and designed by Dali, each room is a constellation in itself. The Museum is big–five floors with seemingly unending little nooks and crannies to explore. It was terribly crowded with tourists–we’d been warned. It seems the museum is never quiet so one must put up with wall to wall people if one wants to experience it. I’m sure Dali would approve of the crowds as he designed this museum to remember his artistic vision for all time–an attempt to become immortal. But the crowds made me crazy. Peter and I were dying to escape by the end of our viewing.
My impression is that yes, I love Dali, simply because he was a true artist: always creating, trying his hand at so many ways to express himself. His art itself, is sometimes uninspiring to me: mainly his taxidermic animal parts, his suffocating installations of ‘stuff’ and the jewelry (it was lovely but I am not a jewelry lover). However, at other times, his art, especially his paintings, inspire me greatly.
Dali was full of self celebration and self expression–I love him!
Dali Museum is a little bit of a “Dali’s-do-it-himself” Disneyland.

Face of Mae West Which Can Be Used as an Apartment (installation) 1974.
This installation was to be viewed from up a series of stairs and then through a glass lens that enabled the viewer to see a woman’s head and face. The line was soooooo long to climb the stairs that I said, ” F-it” and was satisfied with viewing the installation without the lens trickery.
Peter having just arrived in Figueres, Spain. It was a very hot morning and we had just terrified an old lady by trying for ask directions. Peter’s “Perdon?” sent her darting away.
The exterior of the Museum. I like to refer to myself as Hulga in this pic–Hulga looks ready to charge the museum–watch out Dali, here she comes!
An exterior installation by Dali.
The museum’s outdoor courtyard.
The interior courtyard.
A Dali installation.
A portrait of his wife Gala: Galarina, 1944-45
Atomic Leda, 1949
View from inside courtyard looking onto outside courtyard.
Dali’s tomb. Dali sometimes referred to himself in third person and had said, “Dali is immortal.”
A peep hole in the wall revealed this green world inside. 
A Dali installation.
My personal favourite: Palace of the Wind ceiling 1972-73
Me, moving down a Dali hallway.
Peter, overlooking the interior courtyard and becoming rather Dali’ed out!

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